Assembling apparatus



Aug. 8, 1944. H. w. GARBE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1942 a vsheets-sheet 1 .IIII Hh HHILn /Nvewro/. W 614/735 z To lll llll Illll llll llll L Aug, 8, 1944. H. w. GARBE v 2,355,522

l ASSEMBLING APPARATUS v Filed March 5, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 8, 1944. H. w. GARBE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet I5 i "H tf1/.64H55 8) /AAV'M l Ano/mcy Aug. 8, 1944. V||. w. GARBE 2,355,522 y f AssEMBLING APPARATUS A i A Filed Maoh 5, 1942 8 sheets-sheet 4 /NvEA/ran HWG/1R55 I j KAI.. A; TRNEY Aug. 8, 1944. H. w. GARBE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1942 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 ff-W, l ATTORNEY v Aug. 8,` 1944.

H. W. GARBE ASSEMBLING APPARATUS 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 5, 1942 A1158, 1944. H. w. GARBE 2,355,522

ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Fild Maron 5, 1942 8 sheets-sheet 7 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Aug. 8, 1944.

H. w. GARBE AssEMBLING APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1942 Patented Aug. 8, 1944 vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE A SSEMBLING APPARATUS Application March 5, 1942, Serial No. 433,480

13 Claims.

, This invention relates to assembling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for assembling insulators in electrical equipment.

In the manufactureY of some electrical apparatus, for example, the vertical units of telephone cross bar switching apparatus, it is necessary to assemble a large number of small parts in each piece of apparatus. The cost oi manufacturing such apparatus is appreciably greater when these assembling operations have to be done manually and, accordingly, a great amount of effort is directed to devising apparatus to perform these assembling operations automatically, particularly where manual assembling of the parts is exceedingly diicult and tedious.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic apparatusv for rapidly assembling parts that are difficult to assemble manually.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, as applied to the assembling of the contact spring actuators of a cross bar switch vertical unit, which actuators are small irregularly shaped insulators known as cards one of which must be wedged into engagement with each `group of ten groups of three to six contact springs of the unit, a magazine holding ten rows of cards is provided for feeding ten cards at a time to an assembling position. The ten cards at the assembling station are pushed from the end of the magazine by push rods and directed into a series of ten guide tubes each time the apparatus is operated. The apparatus is of the single cycle type, which, upon being started in operation by a predetermined amount of movement of a guard member under control of an operator, will go through one entire assembling cycle and then come to rest.` The series of ten guide tubes are mounted upon a reciprocable framework and after the cards are pushed into the tubes by the push rods, the tubes moved downwardly with the push rods to carry the ends of the cards into engagement with rotatable card locking devices positioned beneath the partially assembled vertical unit with which the cards are to be assembled in this apparatus. The vertical unit at this stage of its manufacture com prises a series of groups of contact springs and associated fixed contact members positioned in alternate arrangement, that is, there are ten rows of contact springs and xed contact members. In each of these rows, there may be from three to six or more sets of xed and movable contacts. In the construction of a vertical lunit of .this type, the contact springs are each splity to provide two electrical contacts on each spring for insuring the completion of a circuit through any of the springs that are actuated. Of course, the fixed contact members are also provided with two contacts associated with the contacts on the ends of the split springs.

The tubes which carry the cards move downwardly to direct the cards into the aligned slots of each group of springs, means being provided at the end of each tube for holding the cards in this position with the end of each c ard in engagement with a rotating element whereby, in the operation of the apparatus, the cards may be turned through degrees to lock them in position in the slots in the springs.

To facilitate the feeding of the cards through the magazine, they are fed toward the assembling position in the same relative positions that they assume in the cross bar switch vertical unit after they are locked in position therein and the tubes are twisted in order to turn the cards 90 degrees to permit their being inserted in the slots of the contact spr-ings. The apparatus describedl thus far is started in operation, aftera partiallyassembled unit has been placed in the apparatus, by the operator moving a guard down over the face of the unit in the apparatus. The movement of the guard to this position trips a motor control mechanism and the motor drives a main shaft through one revolution to perform the operations described hereinbefore in proper sequence. In order to facilitate the positioning of the cards in the slots of the contact springs at a predetermined time in the cycle of the operation of the apparatus, the mechanism becomes operative to engage all of the contact springs in the unit simultaneously and raise them to a predetermined position where they will be in alignment with the. proper portion of the cards. After `the cards have been rotated to lock them in engagement with the contact springs, the spring lifting means is released and the apparatus is restored to normal condition to receive another partially assembled vertical unit and assemble the insulatins cards with the unit.

A better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig, 3 is a partial side elevational view-of the` apparatus shown and 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view in elevation and plan in Figs. 1

ing some of the operating mechanism for rotating the cards after they are positioned in the slots in the contact springs and for lifting the contact springs to properly position them for receiving the cards;

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional View taken Von the line 1-1 of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows showing some of the details of thesingle cycle control mechanism;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged elevational View takenv from the front of the apparatus just back of the guard and showing parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6 in front elevation, parts of the mechanism being broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction of the parts which are behind them in the apparatus;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a portion of a cross bar switch vertical unit showing the cards in place in the unit;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line III-I0 of Fig. 9 in the direction of the arrows showing the relative location of the contact springs and their associated fixed contacts with the cards after they are assembled; and

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line II-II of Fig. 8 in the direction of the arrows.

General framework Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters` designate the same parts throughout `the several views, the apparatus, which may be mounted upon a suitable bench I5, has a supporting framework 2| mounted on blocks I6 and I1, which may be, in turn, secured to the top of the bench. The bench may be suitably cut to permit the passage therethrough of a drive chain I8 (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5) and weight supporting chains I9 and 20 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3), the driving motor (not shown) being mounted underneath the bench in any suitable manner for driving the chain I8, as will be described hereinafter. The framework, indicated generally by the numeral 2I, is comprised of side plates 22 and 23, which are held in spaced relation by welding cross members 24 and 25 to them (Fig. 3). The cross members 24 and 25 have portions thereof extending outwardly beyond the side plates 22 and 23, whereby the framework 2| may be mounted upon the blocks I6 and I1. Adjacent their upper ends, the side plates 22 are interconnected by a rear tie plate 26 (Figs. 5 and '7) and a front cross member 21. The front edges of the side plates 22 and 23 are cut out as shown at 28 and 29 (Figs. 3 and 5) to receive a positioning plate 3U, on which partially assembled cross bar switch vertical units may be positioned to assemble cards in them.

The vertical unit The vertical unit as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 comprisesa mountingplate 40, on which there are suitably mounted a series of alternately positioned contact springs 4I and xed contact plates 42, the free ends of the contact springs being shown in Fig. 9, it being understood that the end of the springs, which are broken off, are suitably mounted on the plate 40 by means of spacers and insulating units (not shown) and that the springs are held in position on the mounting plate in any suitable manner. Since this portion of the construction of the vertical unit is not involved in the present invention, further detailed description of it is not believed to be necessary, it being sufficient to state that the v springs are held in a predetermined position by their spacers and insulators and are adapted to have actuating insulators or cards 43 xed to them so that al1 of the contacts on all of the springs in a given row of springs will simultaneously be .moved into engagement with opposed contacts on the xed contact plates 42 associated therewith when the card 43 is moved upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 10. It should be noted that the card 43 is provided with a series of projecting shoulders 44-44, one of which is associated with each contacting portion of the contact springs 4I, the contact springs 4I being split as shown at 45 (Fig. 9) to receive the cards 43 and to provide two separate contact points, as indicated by the cross lines at 46. This is a common expedient in telephone switching apparatus and need not be described further herein. It should also be noted that-the stem portion 41 of the card 43 is somewhat larger adjacent the top and bottom actuating shoulders 44 than at the intermediate actuating shoulders and, further, that theupper portion of the card extends outwardly from the stem 41 a sufiicient distance so that this portion of the card will normally rest against an extension 48 on the top xed contact plate. The contact springs 4I of apparatus of this type are normally biased to hold the contacts thereon out of engagement with the xed contacts on the plates 42 and are adapted to be moved into engagement with the fixed contacts when the card 43 is moved upwardly, as shown in Fig. 10.

From the foregoing brief description of the crossfbar switch unit which is to be assembled in the apparatus comprising the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is believed tobe clear that the cards 43 may be assembled in the slots 45 of the contact springs by inserting the cards in the slots and then turning them through 90 degrees to the position shown in Figs. 9 and 10'.

The drive mechanism Journalled in suitable bearings and 56, mounted in the side plates 22 and 23, respectively, is a cam shaft 51 (Fig. 4) which supports a sprocket 58 adapted to be driven by the drive chain I8. The sprocket 58 is mounted on and may be rotated with respect to a sleeve 59, which has formed integrally with it, or suitably secured to it, a cam drum 60. The cam drum 60 is milled out, as shown at 6I, to receive an overload clutch member 62, which is fixed to the sprocket 58 rby means of a rivet 63 and which is provided with a radial bore 64, in which a spring 65 may be positioned. The inner end of the spring 65 bears against the sleeve 59 and the outer end bears against a ball 66, which is pressed into a suitable depression in a stud screw 61 threaded in the portion of the cam drum 60 which extends over the clutch member 62. The sleeve 59 is provided with a keyV slot 68, in which a key 69, extending outwardly from the shaft 51, may be received for interconnecting the shaft 51 and the cam drum 60. The just described structure comcam drum 60 and impart rotation to the shaft 51, which is keyed to the sleeve 59 formed integrally with the cam drum 60. In this manner, the shaft 51 and cam drum 60 will be driven unless the load applied to the shaft 51 is great enough to cam the ball member 66 radially inwardly toward the shaft 51 and out of the socket in the stud screw 51. The cam drum 60 is adapted to drive the mechanism for rotating the cards 43 after the cards have been inserted in the contact springs 4|, which are split at 45 to receive the cards 43, as will be described hereinafter.

Also mounted on the shaft 51 are a pair of crank arms 18 and 1| (Fig. 4) which are pinned to the outer ends of the shaft outside the plates 23 and 22 by pins 12 and 13. These crank arms are adapted to drive the mechanism for picking ten cards at a time from the end of the magazine and feeding them downwardly to position in the split contact springs 4|. Mounted on the shaft 51, and keyed thereto by means of a key 14, are a pair of cams and 16 having cam grooves 11 and 18, respectively, formed on their faces. The cam 15 serves to impart horizontal reciprocation to a forked member 19 slidabl'e upon a guide block 80, which is freely mounted on the shaft 51 and is positioned between the tines of the forked member 19. The cam 16 imparts vertical reciprocation to a forked member 8|, which carries a cam roller 82 in the cam groove 18 and which is freely slidable vertically on a guide block 83 mounted on the shaft 51. The forked member 19 serves to actuate the mechanism for raising the contact springs 4| to prepare them for receiving the cards 43, whereas the cam 16 serves to move the spring lifting mechanism and associated apparatus into association with the contact springs 4 I. Mounted adjacent the guide block 83 and forked member 8| on the shaft 51 is a control disc 84, having a hub portion 85 which is xed to the shaft 51 by a set screw 89. The disc 84 has an enlarged portion 86, from which there'extends al tripping pin 81, which controls the circuit to the driving motor (not shown).

Control mechanism The moving parts of the apparatus which effect the insertion of the cards 43 into the split springs 4| are partially enclosed by a movable guard member 95 (Figs. 1 2 and 3) which is provided with a forwardly projecting portion 96 whereby the guard may be pulled down over the vertical unit positioned on the positioning plate to enclose the positioning plate 30 and the vertical unit and thereby prevent cards which might accidentally break in being inserted in the vertical unit from flying out and striking an operator. The guard member 95 also serves to initiate a cycle of the apparatus, it being mounted on and fixed to a shaft 91 (Figs. 3 and 1) which is rotatable in suitable bearings formed in side plates 22 and 23. Fixed to the shaft 91 is a lever 98 (Fig. 7) to which there is fixed a second lever 99. The bottom of the lever 99 is normally urged to the right (Fig. 7) by a coil spring |00 fixed to its lower end and to a pin |0| suitably mounted in the framework. Thus, the shaft 91 is urged to rotate counterclockwise (Fig. 7) through the action of the spring |00 and levers 99 and 98. Carried by the lever 98, in a slot |02 formed therein, s a pivoted latch |03, which is urged to rock about a pivot screw |04 by a spring |05, which, in turn, is xed to the lower end of the latch |03 and to the lever 99. The latch |03, under the influence of the spring |05, is normally held against the left hand edge |06 of the slot |02 and when an operator moves the guard 95 downwardly at the front of the machine, the shaft 91 will be rocked clockwise against the action of the spring |00 (Fig. 7) to carry the lever 98 to thek position shown. The latch |03, in the position shown, will have carried its horizontally extending upper portion |01 under a locking member |08 forming a part of a bell crank |09, which is pivoted on an angle member The angle member ||0 forms a part of the frame--l work of the apparatus and is secured to the side plate 22. Mounted on the side plate 22 is a highly sensitive switch of the type known commercially as a Microswitch, which has associated with it an actuating lever ||2 The actuating lever ||2 is normally urged upwardly by the mechanism of the switch whereby the switch is normally open and when the guard 95 is moved downwardlyA at the front of the machine to rock the shaft 91 clockwise (Fig. 7'), the portion |01 of the latch |03 will catch the lever |2 and cause its adjustable switch actuating pin 3 to close the switch. In moving downwardly with the free end of the lever 98, the latch |03 will engage the locking member |08 and cam it counterclockwise about its pivot and will then engage the switch actuating lever |'|2 to close the switch As soon as the portion |01 of latch |03 moves to position beneath the locking member |08, the locking member will return to the position shown in Fig. 7, where its substantially horizontally extending arm will engage a pin ||4, thus holding the latch |03 and lever 98 in the position shown. 'I'he switch is connected in the motor circuit of the motor (not shown) and upon being closed, will be held closed by the just described mechanism until the shaft 51 has been driven through one complete revolution to carry the tripping pin 81 into engagement with the lower end of the latch |03, whereupon lthe latch |03 will be rocked counter-clockwise by the pivot screw |04 to release the switch actuating lever |I2 from the horizontally extending portion |01 o-f the latch |03.

From the foregoing, it is believed to be apparent that each time the guard 95 is moved down to position to cover a cross bar switch vertical unit positioned on the positioning member 30, the circuit to the motor (not shown) will be closed and the motor will, through the chain I8, drive a shaft 51 through one complete revolution and then the circuit to the motor will be opened automatically. This is the normal single cycle operation of the machine. However, when it is desired to operate the apparatus through a portion of a cycle to make adjustments or otherwise service the apparatus, the single cycle mechanism may be disabled by rocking the pin |4 to a vertical position. The pin ||4 is mounted on a shaft H5, to which there is also affixed a handle ||6 and the shaft is rotatable in the side plate 22, Thus, the locking member |08 may be moved out of position to lock the switch ||-I closed.

M clyazine Fixed to the side plates 22 and 23 are the angle member ||0 and a corresponding angle member |20, which extend from a point adjacent the front of the machine to the eXtreme rear end of the. machine, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

At the' rear end of the angle members ||0'and |20, they are interconnected by a cross frame I2 I, which, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, has a pin |22 extending upwardly from it for engagement by a latch |23, which is, in turn, provided with a knurled thumb wheel |24, whereby the latch may be engaged to the pin |22 or disengaged therefrom. The latch |23 is mounted upon the upturned ends |25 of a-channel-shaped frame |26. The'channel-shaped frame |26 has anges |21 and |28, between which compression springs |29 are positioned. The springs |29 surround a plurality of push rods |30, provided with shoulders 3|, against which the forward end (left end in Fig. 2.) of the springs |29 press. The other end of the springs |29 are in engagement with the iiange |28 and tend to hold the push rods |30, with their collars |3I, in engagement with the ange |21. These push rods are adapted to force cards or insulators toward the front of the magazine, as will be described more in detail hereinafter.

The channel-shaped frame |26 has a pair of blocks |32 and |33 mounted between its :danges and at the ends of it. These blocks are xed in the channelv and they, together with the anges of the channel, have suitable apertures formed in them for receiving guide rods |34 and |35, whereby the channel-shaped frame |26 and the push rods |30 may be slidably supported. The rods |34 and |35 are fixed to the cross frame |2| at the rear of themachine and extend to and are supported by a cross member |36, which extends across on top of the angle members and |20 (Figs. 2, 3 and 5). Te guide rods |34 and |35 also extend toward the front of the machine land are fixed to extending portions |31 and 38 of a front frame, designated generally by the numeral |39. The horizontally extending portion of the cross member |36 (Figs. 2 and 3) has stud shafts A|40 and |4| fixed in it, on which are freely' rotatable sprockets |42 and |43, respectively, over which the chains 20 and |9 are passed. The Ychains I9 and 20 are secured to the blocks |32 and |33 and, after passing over the sprockets |42 and |43, are directed to sprockets |44 and |45 (Figs. 2 and 3) and thence down through the table, where a weight (not shown) may be attached to them so that normally the chains tend to draw vthe framework |26 toward the front of the machine. The sprockets |44 and |45 are mounted upon a shaft |46, which also has mounted on it a pair of hand wheels |41- |41, whereby the shaft |46 may be rotated from either side of the machine to lift the weights when the framework |26 is being pushed back to the position in' which it is shown after having been moved toward the front of the machine. The shaft |46 is supported in a suitable framework |48 extending over the angle members ||0 and |20 and xed thereto. One leg of the framework |48, as shown in Fig. 3, has a manually actuatable pawl |49 mounted on it, whereby the chain |9 may be locked against movement by dropping the pawl |49 into any one of the links of the'chain.

Mounted upon the angle members Ill) and |20 and extending across between them at a point just to the rear of thecross member |36 (Fig. 5), is an angle member |55, which is suitably apertured to receiveand slidably support the push rods |30. The angle member |55 has mounted on it a support block |56, which supports the actuator heads |51 of the push rods |30 and serves to guide them into a removable magazine, designated generally by the numeral |58 (Figs. 2, 4 and 5). The'magazine |58 is provided with a series of grooves |59 (Figs. 2 and 4), in which a plurality of cards 43 may be positioned, and the magazinef|58 has its rear vend partially closed by the slotted plate |69, which will permit the actuator heads |51 of the push rods |30 to pass into the grooves |59 to force cards |43, which may be positioned in the grooves |59, toward the front of the machine, but which will prevent the cards from falling out the rear end of the magazine while it is being transported. The magazine |58 is removable from` the apparatus and when a supply of cards 43 in the magazine |58 has been exhausted, the magazine may be removed and a new one placed in the machine without waiting to load a magazine |58. When positioned in the machine, the magazine |58 is supported at its rear end by a positioning member |6|, mounted upon the angle members ||0 and |20," and provided with upwardly extending ends 62| 62, which prevent transverse movement of the magazine |58 with respect to the apparatus. At its forward end, the magazine |58 is provided with apertures |63 (Fig. 5), into which pins |64, iixed in a portion of the front frame |39, may enter to support the forward end of the magazine |58. At its forward end, the magazine |58 is lprovided with a front plate |61, in which there Card feeding assembly The extending portions |31 and |38 of the front frame |39 have guide posts |10 and |1| (Figs. 1 and 2) fixed in them and extending above and below the portions |31 and |38. The portion of the guide posts |10 and |1| which extend above the supporting portions |31 and |38 of the front frame |39 are shouldered at their upper ends, as shown in Fig. 1, to receive and support a top plate |12, the ends of the rods |10 and |1| being threaded to receive nuts |13 and |14 for holding the top plate |12 in place at the upper ends of the posts |10 and |1|. In this manner, the top plate |12 is 'fixed at the upper end ofthe guide posts and serves as an abutment against which a push rod carrier |15 may abut. The push rod carrier |15 supports a, plurality of push rods |16, which may be secured to it in any suitable manner, and which extend downwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, into a push rod guide plate |11, which is fixed to the guide posts |10 and |1| just above the supporting extending portions 31 and |38. The guide plate |11 is supported adjacent its mid portion by a tie rod |19, adjustably secured tonthe top plate |12 and fixed to the guide plate The push rod carrier |15 (Fig. 1) is slidable on the-guide posts |10 and |1| and carries trunnions and |8|, to which are freely pivoted a pair of links |82 and |83, respectively. The links |82 and |83 are, in turn, connected at their lower ends to actuating levers |84 and |85. The actuating levers |84 and |85 are pivoted on a pivot rod |86, which extends through the angle members ||0 and |20 and carries the actuating levers at its outer ends. Both the actuating levers |84 and |85 are of the same construction and are provided with 'bent 'plates |81 intermediate their ends, forming, together with a bent portionof the levers, a bearing portion in which pins |88- |88 (Fig. 3) are received. The pins ISB- |88 extend into opposite sides of spring receiving cylinders |89 (Figs. l, 3 and 4). Positioned within the cylinders |89 are coil springs |90 (Fig. 4), which bear against washers |9 held in the upper ends of the cylinders `by threaded members |92. The lower ends of the springs |90 bear against a Washer |93, which presses against va shoulder |94 of a plunger rod |95 pivotally connected to crank arms 10 and 1|. The plunger rods |95 extend upwardly through the Washers |9| land vare surrounded by the spring |90, the upper end of the rods |9| extending into sleeves |90, which are slidable within the threaded members |92. Thus, the actuating levers |84 and |85 are urged to operate each time the cam shaft 51 goes through a cycle of rotation and the levers will thus :resiliently urge the push rod carrier and the push rods |16 carried by it downwardly through a, relatively long stroke each time the apparatus goes through one cycle of operation and will then return the push rods to their normal position, as shown. The push rods are held in `direct alignment with the grooves |65 in the front plate |04 and each time the push rods are moved downwardly, each push rod will push a card or insulator from the magazine |58 into a tube 205, of which there is provided one for each groove |65.

The tubes 205 are mounted upon a tube-.carrying plate '206 (Figs. 8 and ll) being soldered or otherwise suitably fixed to the plate and being positioned in notches 201 in the plate 206, two tubes 205 being positioned in each of the notches. Thus, across the face of the machine, there are five notches out in the face of the plate 206 to carry the ten tubes 205 through which the push rods |16 push the insulating cards down to the cross `bar switch into which they are to be assembled. Each of the tubes 205 is twisted through 90 so that the cards, which are vfed toward the front of the apparatus with their widest surfaces abutting in the magazine |58 will be twisted through 90 for insertion vin the slots 45 formed in the springs 4|. In addition to being twisted 90, each of the tubes is provided at -its lower end with a pair of guide pins 208 (Figs. 5 and 8), which enter into the slots 45 in the springs and prevent the cards from tilting in the slots until the cards reach the devices which twist them 90 a second time to lock them in the position on the springs 4|, as will be described hereinafter.

'The plate 206 is mounted on a-slidable carriage member 209 (Figs. 8 and ll), which extends across the face of 'the machine and is slidable on the lower ends of the guide posts |10 and |1|, the plate 206 being secured to the carriage member v209 by machine screws 2`|0. vThe assembly, comprising the carriage member -209 and the tube carrying plate 206, may be moved up and down to carry the tubes 200 from the position shown down to the positionrwhere the guide pins `208 enter into the slots 45 inthe springs -'4| and, in orderto maintain this assembly level at all times, the rear 'surface of the member 209 has a pair of racks 2|| and 2 |2 xed to it for engagement with pinions 2|3 and 2|4, respectively, mounted at opposite ends of a common shaft 2|5, journalled in the side plates 22 and 23. Fixed to the rear of the plate 209, adjacent the middle thereof, is a'drivngbracket 2| 6, which has a projecting portion l2|1 (Figs. 5 and 8) adapted to engage 'the top plate 'of the cross bar switch vertical unit 75 positioned onpthe positioning plate 30 to hold the switch in place on the plate. This bracket 2|6, as seen most clearly in Figs. 4, 5 and 8, is pivoted on the forward end of an actuating lever 228, which is, in turn, pivotally connected to forked member 8|, adapted to be actuated by the cam 16. The rear end of the lever 228 (Fig. 5) is forked to surround a spring cylinder 2|8, to which the lever 220 is pinned by means of pins 229. kThis cylinder 2 |8 encloses a spring 2|9, which bears against washers 220 and 22| surrounding a rod 223, the washer 22| bearing against a shoulder formed on the rod and the washer 220 bearing against a sleeve 224 interposed between it and a washer and nut assembly 225, threaded on the free `end of the rod 223. The free end of the cylinder 218 is closed v'by a plug 22B and the opposite end of the rod 2| 9 is pivoted on a cross rod 221v extending between the vangle members l |0 and 20. In this manner, the forked member 8|, und-er the actuation of the cam 15, will tend to move vthe bracket 2|6 downwardly, but if the bracket 2|6 encounters undue resistance, the spring 2'19 will be compressed vin the cylinder 2|0 and no damage Vwill be done to the mechanism. Since the bracket 2.!5 is fixed to carriage member 209, the carriage member 209 will move with the bracket 2 I0 to carry the tube carrying plate 205 and tubes 205 downwardly and move the guide pins 208 into the slots 45 in ie springs 0i. The timing of the cam 16 is such that after a row of insulating cards 43 have been moved from the magazine |58 into the tubes 205, the tubes will move downwardly to carry the pins 208 into the slots 45 in the springs =4f| before the cards are pushed out of the tubes 206 by the push rods |16. v

By reference to Fig. 11, it will be seen tha-t the carriage member 209 has a pair of guide `plates l235 and 236 `fixed to `its rear surface for cooperating with surfaces 231 and 238 of the carriage member 209 to guide the downwardly extending -legs 239 and 240 of a U-shaped Vmember 24|. The U -shaped member 24| is normally urged downwardly into engagement with the bracket 2|6 by springs '242 (Fig. 8) attached to pins 243 and '244 on ythe plate 205 and member 24|. The vbracket 2|6 is provided with an adjustable abutment 245 (Fig, 8), against which the undersurface of the horizontal portion of the U-shaped member 24| strikes. Thus, the member 24| is urged -to travel with the bracket 2 0.

Supported by the U-shaped member l20| are a plurality of spring positioning members 250, 25|, 252, 253, 254, 255, 250, 251, 258 and 259 (Figs. 5, `8 and 11). These spring positioning members are mounted on and oscillatable about machine screws 200 to 205, respectively, the spring positioning member 250 being mounted on the screw 260 and spring positioning members 25| and 252 on screw 25|, spring positioning members 253 and 254 on screw '262, spring positioning members 255 and 255 on screw 203, spring positioning members 251 and 258 on screw 264, and spring positioning member 259onscrew 255. Each of the screws y00 to 205 has a spring 260 .coiled about it and bent downwardlyto urge the spring positioning members to assumea vertical position (as shown in `11T-ig. 0) where their vertical sides willabut pins 261. In addition to the spring positioning members, the screws 250 and .205 Asupport vertically extending members '268 and 269, 'which have cams 246 and 241,'respective1y, mounted upon them.

' When the carriage member -209 is in its uppermost position, 'the spring positioning 1members1250 to 259, inclusive, will be in the position shown in Fig. 8. However, when the carriage member 209 is moved to its lower position, where the pins 208 enter'into the slots -45 in the springs 4|, the spring positioning members 250 to 259 will have their cam surfaces 210 to 219, inclusive, respectively,` in alignment with the camming surfaces 28B-to 289 (Fig. -6) of camming pins 290 .to 295. The camming -pins 290 and 295 have additional camming surfaces 296 and 291 positioned just slightlyv in back of the camming surfaces 280 to 289. VIn the operation of the apparatus, the camming surfaces 280 to 289 will move the lower ends ofthe spring positioning members into engagement with springs 4| associated with them and after this operation has been performed, the camming surfaces 296 and 291 will engage the camming surfaces 246 and 241 to lift the U-shaped member 24| against the action of the springs 242,

thereby to lift all of the springs 4I to the proper u position to receive the cards 43 when the cards 43 are rotated, as will be described hereinafter. The camming pins 290 to 295 are fixed, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, to a cross slide 300, which is, in turn, fixed to the forked member 19 by means of machine screws and the pins 290 and 295 are slidable in bearings 302 and 303.

Card locking mechanism switch vertical unit assembly, are a series of rotatable slotted card locking members 3 I 0 and 3| I,

arranged in pairs, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. These card locking members constitute short stud shafts .i

having gears 3|2 and 3I3 xed to them. The gears 3I2 are approximately twice as long as the gears 3|3 and the upper ends of the gears 3|2 mesh with a rack 3|4, whereas the gears 3I2 and 3I-3 of each pair are in mesh one with the other, the assembly of gears and the rack being mounted in cooperating guide members 3|5 and 3I6, suitably mounted at the front of the cross member 24 (Fig. 3). The rack 3|4 has a slotted member 3I1 xed to it (Figs. 5 and 6) for receiving a pin 3I8 extending upwardly from an actuating lever 3I9. The lever 3|9 is pivoted on a pivot pin 320, suitably mounted in the base of the apparatus. The lever 3 I 9 is interconnected with the cam lever 32| by means of a spring cylinder mechanism 322, similar to the spring cylinders |89 and 2|8, which urges the lever 3 I9 to follow lever 32 The right end (Fig. 5) of the lever 32| carries a cam roller 323, which rides in the cam groove 324 (Fig. 4) of cam 60, whereby, at the proper time in the cycle of the apparatus, lever 32| will be rocked about the pivot pin 320 and will tend to draw the lever 3 I 9 with it to move the rack 3 I 4 and thereby impart rotation to the card locking members 3| 0 to lock the cards in position in the springs 4|..

Operation In the operation of the apparatus, a magazine |58, loaded with cards 43, is placed in position in the apparatus with the front plate v|61 suspended on the pins |64 and the rear end of the magazine |58 resting on the positioning member IGI. In order to so mount the magazine |58, the channel-shaped frame |26 may be drawn to eX- treme rear position, as shown in Fig. 2., by means of the hand wheels |41 and may be locked in that position by the latch member |23. A part of the weight suspended from chain I9 may be supported by the pawl |49. After a magazine |58, loaded with cards 43, has thus been positioned in the machine, the pawls |49 may be released from the chains I9 and 20 and the latch member |23 released so that the chains I9 and 20 will draw the channel-shaped frame |26 toward the front of the' machine, thereby to carry the rods |30 forward into engagement with the cards 43 in the magazine |58. If it happens that there are one or two less cards 43 in some rows of the magazine |58 than there are in the other rows, the springs |29 will compensate for this discrepancy and approximately equal pressure will be applied to all of the rows of cards, tending to force them against the front plate |61.

After the apparatus has thus been loaded with cards, the operator may place a cross bar switch vertical unit in position on the positioning plate 30 and then move the guard member 95 downwardly to thereby rock the shaft 91 counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 3, and clockwise, as viewed in Fig. '7. When the shaft 91 is locked clockwise (Fig. '1) it will carry the latch |03 with it and move the switch actuating lever I I2 downwardly to close the switch As the latch member |03 moves down, it will fall under the locking member |08, camming the locking member |08 out of its way and then permitting the locking member |08 to fall back and lock the latch |03 in the position shown in Fig. 7, unless the handle ||6 has been moved from the position shown in Fig. '1, to rock the pin I|4 upwardly. The handle ||6 is provided to disable the lock |08 when it is desired to operate the apparatus through a. part of its cycle when making adjustments or otherwise operating the apparatus for less than a complete cycle. When the latch |03 is moved to the position shown, it will be locked in that position by the locking member |08 until the shaft 51 has been driven through one complete revolution, at which time the pin 81 will engage the lower end of the latch |03 and rock the latch counter-clockwise (Fig. 7) to permit the switch actuating lever I2 to move upwardly and release the switch I I From the foregoing, it is believed to be apparent that each time the guard member 95 is moved downwardly, the apparatus willy go through one complete cycle and since the guard member 95 is xed to the shaft 91, the guard member 95 will stay in its downward position untilthe cycle is complete, whereupon the pin 81 will disengage the latch |03 from locking member |08 and the spring |00 will, thereupon, reset the controls to normal position.

As the shaft 51 rotates through one cycle, the crank arm 1|, in rotating with it, will, as soonjas the shaft 51 begins to turn, start to draw the spring cylinder |89 downwardly and through the links |82 and |83 will move the push rod carrier |15 downwardly to push cards from the magaf zine |58 into the tubes 205. Very shortly after the push rod carrier |15 starts to move downwardly, cam 16 will become effective to movethe tubes 205 downwardly through the operation of forked member 8|, actuating ,lever '2I,1, bracket 2|6, tube carrying plate 206 and carriage'; member 209. 'I'he action of the cam 16 will `continue until the guide pins 208 are enteredbetween the sides of the contact springs 4| vwhere they 'are split at 45. s j e As the tube carrying plate 206 and carriage member 209 move downwardly, the,r {LJ-shaped member 24| wm move with themdue refr-he feet that the springs 242 tend -to hold the 'U-shaped member 24| and the carriage vm,emlcper"209;tov gether. After the carriage member 209; has

reached its lowermost position, where the projecting portion 2|1 will engage and clamp the cross bar switch vertical unit on the positioning plate 39, the camming pins 29| to 295 will become effective to move the spring positioning members 259 to 259 into engagement with the springs 4| of the cross bar switch unit. After the spring positioning members 25|] to 259 areengaged with their respective contact springs, the cam surfaces 29S and 291 will engage the cam surfaces 246 and 241 to lift the U-shaped member 24| and all of the spring -positioning members V25|) to 259 carried thereby upwardly. After the contact springs 4| have thus been lifted upwardly, the cards 43, having arrived in position between the springs due to the operation of the push rods |15 in the tubes 205, cam 60 will now actuate actuating lever 3|9 to shift rack 344 transversely of the machine to impart rotation to the card locking members 3| 0 and 3|I, thereby to turn the cards 43 through 90 and lock them onto the contact springs 4|. Cam 60 is so shaped that the card locking members 3H) and 3|| will remain in their shifted position until the next cycle of operation is initiated, at which time, the card locking members 3|!) and 3|| will, early in the cycle of the shaft 51, rotate to position to receive cards in the notches formed therein. After the card locking members 3|!) and 3|| have been operated to lock the cards in position on the contact springs 4|, the camming pins 29D to 295 will be withdrawn by their cam 15, thereby permitting the spring positioning members 250 to 259 to release the springs after the camming surfaces 296 and 291 have permitted the U-shaped member 24| to be brought back into engagement with the carriage 299 by the springs 242. After the camming pins 29|] to 295 have been withdrawn to their normal position, as shown, actuating levers 228, I S3 and 94 will return to their normal position, as shown, thus restoring the push rod carrier |15 and carriage 29-9 to normal position, as shown in the drawings, and preparing the apparatus for its next cycle of operation.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for assembling insulators in an electrical apparatus including means for supporting the apparatus during the assembling of the insulators therein, means positioned above the supporting means for simultaneously feeding a plurality of insulators to the apparatus, means for lifting parts of the apparatus a predetermined amount to align the parts with portions of the insulators, said feed means including instrumentalities for positioning the insulators in assembling relation with respect to the lifted parts, means for turning the insulators bodily through a predetermined angle to lock them in place on said lifted parts, and a driving means common to said feeding, turning and lifting means for actuating them individually to simultaneously manipulate the parts of the apparatus and assemble and lock the insulators therewith.

2, A machine for assembling insulators in electrical switches including guide tubes for guiding insulators into position to be assembled in a switch, a magazine for supplying insulators to the tubes, means for reciprocating the guide tubes in unison between the magazine and switch to carry insulators into the switch, means in alignment with the guide tubes for receiving the insulators and locking them in position in the switch, a common actuator for said guide tubes,

a common actuator for said locking means, and means for coordinating the common 'actuators for an assembling operation.

3. An assembling apparatus including a magazine for feeding rows of parts transversely of their width, means for simultaneously picking a plurality of parts from said magazine and advancing them to a predetermined position, means interposed between the magazineand said predetermined position for turning lthe parts through a predetermined angle, means at said predetermined position for rotating parts back to a position in a plane parallel to their position in the magazine to lock the parts in an assembly, means common to said picking means for actuating them, means common to said rotating'means for actuating them, and means for coordinating the common actuators for an assembling operation.

4. An assembling apparatus including a maga-- zine for feeding rows of parts transversely-of their width, means for simultaneously-picking al plurality of parts from said magazine and advancing them to a predetermined position, a cross head for supporting and actuating all of said picking means simultaneously, means interposed between the magazine and said predetermined position for turning the parts through a predetermined angle, means at said predetermined position for rotating parts back to a position in a plane parallel to their position in the magazine to lock the parts in an assembly, and means operable in a single cycle to actuate the hereinbefore dened means in a predetermined order.

5. A machine for assembling insulators in an electrical apparatus including means for supporting the apparatus during the assembling of said insulators therein, a magazine for containing a supply of insulators in a plurality' of rows, means for simultaneously moving one insulator from each `row of said magazine, guide tubes for receiving the insulators from the magazine and directing them to said electrical apparatus, means for simultaneously actuating all of said insulators for locking them in the electrical apparatus, said means for directing the insulators from the magazine to the electrical appa-- ratus including means for preventing tilting of the insulators with respect to the electrical apparatus, and means for coordinating the operation of the various parts of the machine for an' assembling operation.

6. In an assembling apparatus, a magazine for containing a plurality of parts, means for simultaneously feeding a plurality of parts from said magazine, a series of tubes for receiving the parts from the magazine, said tubes being rectangular in cross section and twisted for rotating the parts during their passage through the tubes, a carriage for supporting said tubes, means for moving said carriage to carry the tubes to a predetermined position after they have received the parts, means in alignment with said tubes for turning the parts back to a plane parallel to their plane in the magazine to lock the parts in a switch, means common to the means for turning the parts for actuating said means for turning the parts, means for positioning said switch to receive said parts, and means for coordinating the operation of the feeding means, carriage moving means, and the part-turning means for an assembling operation.

1. A` machine for assembling insulators in electrical apparatus including means for supporting the apparatus during the assembling of the insulators therein, means for simultaneously feeding a plurality of insulators to the apparatus, means for lifting parts of the apparatus a predetermined amount with respect to the remainder of the apparatus for positioning said parts of the apparatus with respect to the insulators, means for turning the insulators to lock them in place on said lifted parts, and means for operating said feeding, lifting and turning means in a definite cyclic order to simultaneously lock a plurality of insulators in the apparatus.

8. A machine for assembling insulators in electrical switches including guide tubes for simultaneously guiding a plurality of insulators into position to be assembled in a switch, a magazine for supplying insulators to the tubes, means for reciprocating the guide tubes between the magazine and switch .simultaneously to carry a plurality of insulators into the switch, means operable in timed relation to said reciprocating means for pushing the plurality of insulators from the magazine and through the tubes, means in alignment with each of the guide tubes for receiving the insulators and locking them in position in the switch, and means for actuating the guide tubes, the insulator pushing means, and the means in alignment with the guide tubes in a definite cyclic order to simultaneously insert and simultaneously lock a plurality of insulators in the switches.

9. A machine for assembling insulators in electrical switches including guide tubes for guiding insulators into position to be assembled in the switches, a magazine for supplying insulators to the tubes, a single means for reciprocating the guide tubes between the magazine and switch to simultaneously carry a plurality of insulators into the switch, means in alignment with the guide tubes for receiving the insulators and simultaneously actuating the insulators to lock them in position in the switch, a common actuator for the means for actuating the insulators to lock them in the switch, and a plurality of push rods reciprocable in timed relation to the operation of the guide tubes for pushing insulators from the magazine into and through the guide tubes and into the insulator receiving and locking means.

10. An apparatus for assembling insulators in electrical switches comprising a support for an electrical switch, means for feeding a plurality of insulators simultaneously to said switch, means for preventing tilting of said insulators with respect to said switch, means for locking said insulators in said switch, means for driving all the aforementioned means through one complete cycle, means under manual control for initiating the operation of said driving means, and means for locking said means under manual control in operative position for one cycle.

11. An 4apparatus for assembling insulators in electrical switches comprising a support for an electrical switch, means for feeding a plurality of insulators simultaneously to said switch, means for preventing tilting of said insulators with respect to said switch, means for locking said insulators in said switch, means for driving all the aforementioned means through one complete cycle, means under manual control for initiating the operation of said driving means, means for locking said means under manual control in operative position for one cycle, and means for rendering the locking means inoperative.

l2. A machine for assembling insulators in an electrical apparatus including means for supporting the apparatus during the assembling ofinsulators therein, a magazine for containing a supply of insulators in a plurality of rows, means for simultaneously moving one insulator from each row of said magazine, guide tubes for receiving the insulators from the magazine and directing them to said electrical apparatus, means for simultaneously actuating all of said insulators for locking them in the electrical apparatus, and means for coordinating the operation of said moving means and actuating means in an assembling operation.

13. In an assembling apparatus for assembling blanks in an article, a magazine for said blanks, means for receiving a plurality of blanks from said magazine, means for moving said receiving means from association with the magazine to association with the article, means individual to each of said plurality of blanks for simultaneously actuating the plurality of blanks for locking them in the article, said means for actuating the blanks to lock them in the article including means for rotating the blanks with respect to the article through approximately 90, and means common to all of the rotating means for actuating them simultaneously.

HOWARD W. GARBE 

